Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-09
THE WOODEN INDIAN.
Where He is Made and Who Buys
Him-Wha at He Costs.

From the Nsao York Fceming Sun.
Travellers from abroad often remark the
wooden image of an Indian in front efeur
tobacco stores. These efhgies are made
in this city. About thirty persons ara at
work on them. Only six firms manu-
tacture them. One firm has not made any
new images for two yeSrs, and another is
about to close out and go to Chicago.
Between 200 and 800 wooden Indians are
put on the market each year. More than
half of these are used in New York and
the suburbs. A manufacturer gives some
interesting information:
''The trade is not as brisk as formerly"
he says. NEARLY every tobacconist pos
sesses figure of some kind, and
if the store IS sold at the
figure usually goes along with it
Occasionally, when a new store is opened
on, say Broadway, we get an order for a
full-sized chief or bass ball player, but
such orders are rare. In most cases we
have simply to repaint and putty a Sec
ond-hand figure. There is one, for in
stance" pointing to a resplendent efigy
OF Lord Dundreary, switch has been
treated in this way. 1t is nearly twenty
years old, though no one outside the trade
would think il.
"Fidelity to nature or artistic beauty is
ing to a melancholy, flat-nosed chief,
| twas done from life, and we can't sell
him. Buyers complain that he IS too ugly.
| What they want is something fine looking
and attractive"
Abiding to the remark that white
| female figures seemed more common on
the East side than elsewhere, he said: Il
have never noticed any special demand
| by Germans for such figures. But Italians
a,,d 4 ~ h6v or III
| tion for them. l cannot tell you what
they do with them, but / have sold six
| figures OF the girls of the period
class 10 Chinese during the last twelve
months.o
The wood-carvers VINO make these
| figures are usually ship carpenters by
| trade. They acquire their skill by work
ing at ships tigure-heads. Occasionally
| a German wood-carYer tries his hand
| but as a rule he is too slow. A good
workman will finish a iife-sized figure in
two days. He is paid at the rate at from
| 81 to 81 80 day. The painters get 50 q
! day for their work. An erroneous idea
prevails that discarded masts Of ships are
used as the material for a figure. But
| these, from warping and weather-cracks,
are unsuitable for carving. The ends
| of such new spars as have been found
| too long for their purpose are often
| used. The only WOOD employed is white
| pine.
Indian figures are divided into classes.
An Indian with his hand shading his eyes
| is a ''scout." If he has a gun, or a bow
! and arrows IN his hand he Is "hunting
chiet.0 If his head, except the scalp
| lock, is shaved and the body partly naked,
he ia a "Captain Jack" A figure carry
ing a small basket is ''fiower GIRL" and
another nearly similar but with a robe is
''shawl figure" A running posture con-
stitutes lily figure"
"Fashions in iancies," as the nom
Indian figures are called, change greatly.
During the war the "gIrl OF the period"
was In great demand. punches" sue
ceeded, and were followed by "Puckes."
"Dudes" are just now drug in the
market, as they have been lately sup
planted by "base ball players" Ten In
dian figures to one fancy is the proper
ton in which they are cold.
One large firm in New York manufac-
lures these figures by casting them in
zinc alloy. The merits OF metal, as COM
pared with wood, are that it lasts longer
and keeps better, II used where it 10 not
liable TO rough usage. IL any part OF a
metal figure is damaged, the piece can
be recast and soldered oni to the original
casting. But this applies only to places
like New York, where the necessary APP
pllances are at hand. On the other side
the price is in favor of wooden figures,
their cost being from SIT 10 500, while
that OF metal figures ranges from $50 TO
SITS. Wooden figures also received paint
better, so that IL wears away gradually
and does not come OF in flakes--a failing
In metal figures.
A last look at the store shows the re-
splendent efiigy Of Dundreary In the
centre. Away In a remote corner IL a
dllapidated figure OF n Highland soldier.
ON a back shelf stand dudes and other
fancies. Round the room, clustered In
various groupings, are Indian braves and
squaws, some not yet finished, others In
the last stages OF decay, but all seeming
10 sadly walt for the day OF their emanci.
patton.
Advice TO Mothers.